A Letter to My Younger Self | When Air Hunger Wasn’t “Just Anxiety”

Abby Stewart was sitting on the edge of her bed, desperate to take a satisfying breath.

Her chest felt tight. She was constantly yawning, sighing and trying to pull in more air — but the next breath never felt like enough. Her tests were normal, and she was told it was probably anxiety.

This is the letter Abby wrote to that younger version of herself, reflecting on the years that followed: discovering breathing pattern disorder, learning that her air hunger was real, retraining her breathing and eventually becoming a Senior Respiratory Physiotherapist and PhD candidate researching breathing pattern disorder.

It’s a story about the experience of feeling frightened by your own breathing — and how something Abby once wanted to hide ultimately became the reason she now helps others understand theirs.

Thank you to Abby Stewart, @thebreathingphysio, for trusting me with this letter and sharing such an important part of her story.

Find Abby at @thebreathingphysio and learn more about her work with breathing pattern disorder and air hunger.

🎧 Listen to The Letterbox Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all major podcast platforms.

💌 Have a letter of your own? Send it to theletterboxpodcast@outlook.com or DM me. Letters can be about anything, to anyone — and can be anonymous if you’d prefer.